Brittany‘s coastline is beautifully wild and rugged, with handfuls of open, exposed stretches as well as sheltered coves – in short, a surfer’s paradise. Read on for Culture Trip’s best Brittany surfing spots from its north and southern coastline.
La Torche
Considered as the place to surf in Brittany, La Torche is the kind of beach that you can’t believe you’re finding in France – vast and wild with peaks popping left, right and center and an unspoiled backdrop of grasses and sand dunes. It gets crowded in the height of summer with fellow surfers and holiday makers but this stretch of the coastline is long enough to find a good spot.
Le Petit Minou
Not far from popular Brest and situated in a sweet – though still sizeable – cove setting is Le Petit Minou. There are showers at the beach, it’s pretty easy to park, and you can stop by Les Milles et Une Lunes for some tasty French food before or after riding the waves. Like a lot of the beaches in Brittany it’s harder to find a spot in August, but then again, the waves are better off season anyway. http://www.instagram.com/p/BZePn4oD849/
Baie des Trépassés
Low season is the best season at Baie des Trépassés for the biggest waves. From autumn through to spring rollers come in high thanks to this beach’s positioning and the north-westerly wind. This is almost at Brittany’s most westerly point, so make sure to make the quick 10 minute drive to the Pointe du Raz – it’s a stunning vantage point and cliff-top walk.
La Palue
La Palue is found in a beautiful part of Brittany, on the Crozon peninsula in the Armorique Regional Park. Beaches don’t get more ruggedly beautiful than this stretch of coastline on the peninsula. Crozon is a sweet village nearby, perfect for stocking up on local treats in the frequent markets. http://www.instagram.com/p/BcSMke1hg0E/
Not far from Saint-Malo, Cap Fréhel is a highlight even if you’re not a surfer. Often overlooked within the southern surfing spots, this area of Brittany is a windswept yet magical spot for hitting the water. Pléhérel beach is the place to start and then just continue on down south to a couple of other sweet spots.
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Plage du Kérou
The sand on Kérou beach looks like honey and the waves are heaven for surfers. There’s just the right amount of wind with great accessibility, and in the summer months there’s a surf school open almost continually. If you’re a beginner surfer then there is no better place to begin than here. http://www.instagram.com/p/BcktcNkh6kl/
Lostmarc’h
Just north of La Palue is Lostmarc’h. These beaches both deserve a mention in their own right – they’re magical both in terms of sheer size and sand and wave quality. Watch out, though: you need to be at least an intermediate surfer, otherwise you’ll get carried away (quite literally).
La Mauvaise Grève
A technical spot on a surfer’s map, La Mauvaise Grève attracts intermediate to advanced surfers, who will have their skills tested at high tide. Make the medieval town of Morlaix your base – it’s an easy 30 minutes by car and full of Breton cafés and places for a tipple after a day in the water. http://www.instagram.com/p/BX52kcFl3zk/
Holly is a freelance writer based in Béziers, South of France. From London to a life in the Languedoc, she has written for French Property News and Living France among other titles and covers travel, lifestyle and culture. She can be followed at: www.lostinthelanguedoc.com
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